By Trafalgar’s Editorial Team
This Content is Created By Kinga Burjan, M.A., R.P.
Thank you for joining me on your wellness journey. Today’s video is a guided, mindful eating meditation. My name is King Burjan, and I’m a registered psychotherapist with Trafalgar Addiction Treatment Centres.
Before we get into this meditation, I’d like you to take a moment to get a small piece of fruit or dried fruit or even a piece of chocolate. Go take a moment and get that for yourself and bring that back to the video.
So when you have it, you will start. So let’s start. Take a moment first to notice your breath. Notice the natural flow of the inhales and exhales through your nose. And take a moment now to scan your body from your head down to your toes, just noticing any experiences you might have in the moment, any sensations or even tension in your body, any thoughts, any feelings, noticing without judging.
Now, I’d like you to pay attention if you have any sensations around food. Are you feeling thirsty? Maybe you’re feeling a little hungry, maybe you’re full. If you were to have a drink or food item right now, what would it be? What’s your body hungry for? Thirsty for? Just take a moment to pay attention with awareness, noticing any of these sensations, just paying attention to the information your body is giving you noticing without judging.
Now, bring the item to your hands and pay attention to it, like you’re looking at it for the first time. Notice its texture, its color, its shape like you’re looking at it in a curious sense.
Is there anything that you notice about it that’s different? And what kind of feelings or sensations does having this piece of food in your hand bring up for you? Again, noticing without judging.
And take a moment to connect a little bit deeper with this food item. Think about how this food item even came to being. Most likely grew on a tree, maybe in the ground. It probably needed some water or sun. And also, how did it get to your hand? Someone must have picked it. It must have been shipped if it’s a piece of chocolate. There was some processing involved. Just take a moment to feel gratitude for how this piece of food got into your hand today.
So really, take a moment, to connect to be grateful and enjoy. Now, this food, allow it, the texture, the sensation to be rubbed between your fingers, noticing its temperature, noticing its ridges, noticing if it’s sticky or smooth or bumpy, and as you do this, let yourself notice any thoughts, feelings or sensations again without judging.
And as you do this, remember to connect with your breath staying connected in the present moment. Now, slowly, take this piece of food and bring it toward your nose and let yourself smell the food with your full awareness. You might notice that you have sensations or reactions or even a memory come up. That’s okay, just notice without judging.
And the smell might even stimulate a response in your body. Perhaps you’re going to start salivating, or perhaps your stomach’s going to grumble again noticing without judging.
And now slowly move this food item toward your mouth and place the item in your mouth without chewing.
Just let the item be in your mouth, let your tongue roll it around, feel the different parts in your mouth with your tongue. Notice if the flavor changed or is different. Notice the texture and again, allow yourself to notice what’s coming up in your body. Any feelings, any thoughts, any memories and as you do so, give yourself that space to connect with your breath to be in the present moment.
Now, slowly take a small bite and notice the flavor change, or if there’s a change in texture, slowly begin chewing the food and pay attention to how your mouth is involved, what parts are actually involved in chewing and as your chewing allow yourself to hear the sound of chewing.
And while you do so, connecting with your breath, staying in the present moment. Now, when you feel ready, allow yourself to swallow this food item. Just pay attention to how it goes from your mouth down into your gut. Notice any sensations and tastes that might still be left over after swallowing.
Taking a moment again to connect with your body, your breath and noticing any thoughts or feelings that might be coming up without judgment. So you’re welcome to continue this process with the other pieces of food, or perhaps when you’re eating next time, just taking a moment longer to connect with gratitude to really feel the sensations, the taste, the texture so that you can enjoy your food even more.
